Hokum

Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) investigates a disappearance in Hokum (Distributed by Neon)

Hokum is a ghost story about pain and guilt. Those themes are quite common in contemporary horror. This is a story that approaches them with a sly wink. It isn’t funny, per se, but it gets a few dark laughs here and there. Much like writer/director Damian Mc Carthy’s previous movie, Oddity, it creates a mesmerizing atmosphere, introducing spooky elements to a very human evil. While not as good as Oddity, Hokum (102 minutes, without the end credits) is entertaining, creepy and suspenseful. It generates a sense of dread through its location, an old hotel, mixed with the way the past haunts the protagonist. The way Mc Carthy uses traditional horror concepts, and then twists them into something slightly unexpected, is fun to watch. He is a creative filmmaker with an almost whimsical take on dark material. Make no mistake, this is dark. It just has a folkloric bent that distinguishes it from its peers.

American novelist Ohm Bauman is in Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes at the site of their honeymoon. After a hotel staff member he made a connection with goes missing, he decides to investigate, even if that means a trip to the off-limits honeymoon suite, said to be haunted by a witch.

Hokum does contain a lot of jump scares, yet it isn’t really aiming to terrify its audience by throwing things at us. Yes, there is tension based on what could be coming for Ohm out there in the darkness, leading to a few legitimately creepy moments. However, it is our inner darkness that is by far the scariest thing here. The way we justify horrible acts or the way we refuse to forgive ourselves for terrible mistakes.

Ohm is a jerk. That is how he keeps people at a distance. He is sarcastic and condescending. He also plays at arrogance, though that feels forced. When Fiona, the bartender he sort of bonds with on his first night in Ireland, disappears, his softer side comes out, even if he tries to hide it. She was nice to him, despite his rudeness. He feels he doesn’t deserve kindness or, apparently, friends. He is a loner, not out of self-pity, but out of self-loathing.

Adam Scott, a very likable actor, can be charmingly cynical when the role calls for it. Here, he intentionally tries to conceal his charm behind cruelty, such as in an unpleasant encounter with a starstruck bellboy. He wants to be punished, certainly at an emotional level. When the horror truly begins, and he desperately tries to adapt and survive, it is almost like this is the punishment he has been waiting for. He doesn’t want it, but he seems to believe that he has earned it. It is his penance and he must atone.

Damian Mc Carthy has an interesting style when it comes to horror. He looks at belief and superstition, attaching that to standard horror themes like grief and guilt. He treats his concepts with care. In Hokum, Ohm mocks those who think the witch is real. Much like in Oddity, this world has faith; nonbelievers get straightened out quick or die in shock. Mc Carthy’s films exist between the living and the supernatural, an area he explores to better understand his characters. It is a fascinating place for a movie to be.

3½ out of 5

Cast:

Adam Scott as Ohm Bauman

Peter Coonan as Mal

David Wilmot as Jerry

Michael Patric as Fergal

Florence Ordesh as Fiona

Written/Directed by Damian Mc Carthy